When Angels Deserve to Die
by Phoenix Bradley
Summary: I don't think you trust in my selfrighteous suicide,I cry when angels deserve to die...System of a Down
1. Not Alone

When Angels Deserve to Die...

by, Smeagol's girl

(Takes place years after Kim dies. Edward meets a doctor who can not only help him, but give him a home. When he gets there he soon discovers that the doctor's home is a house for people who have become outcasts (mostly teens) either because of who they were or because they, like him, had something special about themselves. Everything goes well until he meets a teen girl with problems of her own. Rated PG-13 for angst. I own nothing except for any unfamiliar characters.)

Part 1:

A New Home

_"This is my life_

_It's not what it was before_

_All of these feeling's I've shared_

_These are my dreams_

_I've never lived before_

_Somebody shake me cuz I_

_I must be sleeping..."_

_-'So Far Away', Staind_

It was a dark and cold night, and Edward sat alone on his bed in the chimeny. The night was very bleak, and he knew he'd spend it alone once again. No one ever came in there, not since the day Kim left. He was numb. Not tired, nor hungry, nor sad. Just numb with cold and lonliness. He wished that for once just someone, it didn't matter who, but someone would slip in, even if it was for a minute. The mansion had become his prison, and he longed to see life outside of it again.

But it was not safe, he continuously reminded himself. People would hate him again, he would hurt someone, and the police would chase him. People, he sneered. They never accept anyone who's different. They just try to push them away and that's the end of it.

"Kim," he muttered to himself. She wasn't like them. Maybe at first, but she was the only one who had come to love him. She was the only one he had ever fallen in love with.

"Go in there!" shouted a voice from outside. He poked his head up and walked to the window to see who was there. Two teen boys and a girl, probably all drunk by the way they were staggering, were standing there, one of the boys pushing the girl towards the mansion. "I dare you to go in there!"

"Stop it!" she shouted, pushing him back. "I'm not going in there."

"C'mon! Go see if ol' Scissorhands it still in there." Edward watched as the girl screamed as they pushed her towards the gate again. He shook his head. This wasn't right, and he headed down the stairs, ready to go out the door and possibly scare them away.

He had just opened the door when a fourth voice was heard, this one older than the teens, and sober.

"What the hell do you kids think you're doing?" he growled. The teens all looked at him and started laughing.

"C'mon, pops!" said the taller boy. "We're just having a little fun."

"Now you listen to me," said the man, pointing a finger in the boy's face. Even in his drunken state he could tell that the man wasn't playing around. Edward moved towards the gate, but managed to stay unseen so he could still see them. "I want you and your friends to get out of here or I'll call the cops." The tall boy nodded, and grabbed the other two by their arms.

"C'mon," he growled. "Let's go hang somewhere else!" They all staggered away, laughing and acting stupid. The man who remained looked up at the mansion, and stepped up to the gate.

"Wonder how long it's been since anyone's actually been in there," he muttered to himself. Edward moved a little closer, but the bush made a rustling noise, and the man looked dirrectly at him. He held in his breath, would the man shout for the police? Would he run?

But instead, the man stared at him, looking him up and down with facination. "Hello, there," he muttered. "What have we here?" Edward shrank back a little, but the man held up his hands. "No, wait! Don't go. I'm not going to hurt you." Edward stopped, and stood still, not really sure what to do now. "Do you live here?" Edward paused and nodded carefully.

"Yes," he said softly.

"With who?" Edward shook his head.

"No one." The man nodded casually.

"Must get very lonely in there."

"Sometimes." The man seemed safe. He was just standing there and talking to him as if he were a normal person.

"Are those your hands?" he suddenly asked in facination. Edward held them up and nodded.

"Yes. I'm not finished." The man stepped through the gate and approached him cautiously.

"Do you have a name?" he asked.

"Edward," he responded, feeling a little nervous with the man approaching him.

"Edward," repeated the man. He pointed to Edward's blades. "May I?" he asked. Edward nodded and the man took them and looked them over. "I've never seen anything like this. It's simply amazing! The blades are so beautiful and so sharp. Have your hands always been like this?"

"Yes." The man beamed at him and looked at them some more. "They're not amazing," said Edward. "They hurt people. That's why I live alone. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want any trouble." There was a sort of sadness in his eyes that the man saw immediatly.

"Tell me, Edward was it?" Edward nodded. "Would you like to come and live with me? You won't have to be alone anymore, and I'm a doctor. I can give you hands if you like." Edward's face brightened a bit.

"I would like that," he said eagerly. The man smiled at him.

"My name's Rodney, and I'd be honored to help you in whatever way I can." Eward smiled and left with him, just like that.

"And this is your room," said Rodney as he showed Edward to his room. "There's a bathroom right down the hall, and the girls dormitories are upstairs. Boys aren't allowed up there after eight at night. But I doubt that'll be a problem." Edward nodded. "Now, the last time I saw the others, they were in the TV lounge. You remember where that is, right?"

"Yes," he answered. "How many others are there?"

"Eleven," said Rodney with a smile. "Five girls and six boys. Well, you make seven now. They're a fine group, and you'll fit right in. You see, this place is for people who have nowhere else to go. Many of them have been rejected for being different. Some just needed a place to stay. I must warn you, you may hear some very sad stories from some of them, especially the teens. A lot of them have been through terrible experiences." Edward nodded silently. He understood that very well. "Alright, I'll leave you to it then."

Once Rodney was gone, Edward headed down the stairs and into the TV lounge, where a group of people, seven teens, three adults, and one child, sat watching Spiderman. One of the teen boys glanced up at him and smiled. He had blue hair, spiked, and a nose piercing. When Edward looked him over, he noticed the boy's left arm was missing.

"Hey, the new guy," said the boy. Everyone glanced up, except for a teen girl, sitting in the corner and bent over a sketch book. Edward barely noticed her though. "I'm Lance." He stood up and walked over, ready to shake his hand. Edward held his hand up just in time, and Lance stepped back, nodding with eyes wide. "Whoa!" he muttered.

A girl with blonde hair in a pony tail beamed at him. "I'm Samantha." She was in a wheel chair, and one of her eyes seemed glazed over. Next came a man, dressed like a goth. "Chris," he said with a smirk. Then another teen boy with claws and white blonde hair. "Mark. Pleased to meet you, mate." The rest proceeded to introduce themselves, some seeming completely normal, and others having some odditty that stood right out.

From the back corner, the girl everyone had forgotten about, peaked up from her sketch book to look at him. Her lips curved into a half smirk, and she quickly looked back down again so he wouldn't see her. She was the only one who didn't introduce herself that night.

"That's Corina," said Samantha from her wheel chair. She pointed to her, and Edward stared at her for a long time. "She never talks, so don't expect a warm welcome." Corina looked up from her sketchbook, dirrectly at him. What he saw, startled him. Her skin was white, completely white. Her eyes were red, and she had long black hair that rippled down her back. Even a tail to add on. She was, without a doubt, the strangest creature he had ever seen. "She was born like that," whispered Samantha. "At least that's what we think. No one knows where she came from, except for the doc. He's the only one she'll talk to. I don't even think anyone here has heard her voice."

"She looks lonely," muttered Edward.

"You'll get used to her," said Chris. "Everyone else had to. She never gets bitchy so you've got nothing to worry about."

"Can you guys pipe down?" said the little boy sitting on the floor. Joshua was his name. He was there because he was homeless. He didn't really have anything strange about him (for a boy). They all sat down, and spoke with Edward quietly.

Corina looked up at him again and began to draw what she saw. Pale face, like hers, greyblue eyes that seemed empty, and scissors for hands. No doubt the doc had promised to help him with that. The way Edward had looked at her was the same way everyone else did, and she sighed as she moved to a clean sheet. He would be no different from the others.

"Move it, freak!" snarled Joshua as he brushed past Corina in the kitchen. Edward glanced up at her, surprised to see her just let it go and continue dishing up her breakfast. He remembered when Kim's boyfriend had called him a freak. He had hated it so much then, and yet it didn't seem to bother her.

"Joshua, shut up!" said Samantha from across the room.

"Make me!" the kid growled. Edward raised his eyebrows. What a brat, he thought to himself.

"Josh!" called Chris in his deep booming voice. "Chill." Joshua looked up at him with big eyes and nodded. Edward smirked. At least someone could keep him in line. He looked back over at Corina who sat down alone on the otherside of the room, away from the others. This seemed to be the way she did everything. Away from them.

"Hey, are you going to come eat, or are you the new realistic statue?" asked Lance. Edward smirked and went with him to another table.

Corina sat in front of her mirror, staring down her reflection for the longest time. There was nothing she could do about her face. Her skin would always be white, her eyes would always be red, and she'd always have a tail. She closed her eyes and smashed her fist in the mirror. She was ugly, and she'd always be ugly. Everything she saw she hated, and she wished she could just disappear and let everyone else get on with life. Especially the doc. He had done too much for her already, and she was tired of disappointing him every day.

A small stab of pain diverted her attention to her hand. It was bleeding from the shards of glass she had created, and it stung like hell. Moving quickly, she stood up and pulled out a roll of gause wrap. She carefully wrapped it around her hand and taped it down. There was always gause wrap in her room, because she was in constant need of it. Her looks weren't her only problem. She was a cutter, and a damn good one. Her arms and legs were proof of it, so she always stayed covered. The doc knew about it of coarse and had tried to help her. He wasn't the first one.

"Corina?" came a voice from the door. She turned and knew it was the doc. "Corina what broke? Are you alright in there?" She didn't reply, but started shaking. She never trusted anyone standing outside her door unless she could see them. Over the years she had learned the hard way that people could not be trusted. The door opened, and she sighed with relief. It was only him. He looked at her wrapped up hand, and then the shattered mirror. "It's okay," he said softly as he walked over to her and put an arm over her shoulders. "It'll be okay." She started crying, and he lead her into his office to bandage her up.

Edward was watching TV with Lance and Chris when Corina came in, one hand bandaged up, and her nose and eyes red from crying.

"What happened to you?" asked Chris. Corina didn't even look at him. She just simply sat there, watching the TV.

"She probly tried to kill herself again," said Lance, not looking away from the TV. Edward looked up, a little surprised to hear that. He hadn't really realized such a thing existed as suicide. Corina's head lowered a little, and he could tell she was trying to ignore them.

"Shut up," said Chris. "That's not funny." Edward stared at Corina. He couldn't imagine what frame of mind she was in if she was even considering ending her life. Corina looked up at him, seeming surprised to see him staring at her like that.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked. Not caring if she answered or not. Corina merely stared at him, and Lance snickered.

"You're waisting your time," he muttered. "She doesn't talk to no one."

"Maybe she doesn't have to," said Edward. Corina stared at him for a while before standing up and leaving silently. There was something in her eyes he couldn't read very well, and something told him she didn't want him to.

"It's not your fault, Ed," said Chris. "Corina's been through a lot, that's all. I think eventually she'll come around to talking again."

"She tried to kill herself?" asked Edward, still not getting past that.

"Just once," said Chris rolling his eyes. "That was three years ago, but the people here spread rumors that she's going to try it again. It's just a load of bull. Rule one in this place, don't believe everything you hear."

"Why do people say things like that?"

"To be mean," said Chris. "No matter where you go the people are all the same. Unaccepting of someone who's different, and just cruel sometimes."

"I know what that's like," said Edward with a frown.

"Who doesn't?" said Lance. "That's why we hide away in here. People leave you alone." Chris shook his head.

"It's just as bad, Lance," he said softly.

"Not really," muttered Lance. "We've got the doc."

"He seemed nice," said Edward.

"He's a good man," said Chris with a nod. "Everyone here likes him."

"He said he'd give me hands." Lance grinned.

"Yeah, well he promises a lot of things. You can ask Corina."

"Lance, that's enough," scolded Chris. "Corina has been the only exception. The doc will probably be able to help you."

"What happened to her?" asked Edward.

"Are you kidding?" asked Lance, raising his eyebrows. "We barely even know the whole story. Besides, we're not allowed to talk about it. Doctor's orders."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a personal issue for her, and the only reason we know about it is because we were there through most of it," said Chris. "Let's just change the subject." As if on cue, the door opened, and Joshua stepped in with a DVD in his hand.

"I get to watch my movie now, folks," he said with a sneer. He walked over to the DVD player and placed the disc in.

"Not this movie again!" wined Lance.

"Let it go," muttered Chris.

"I don't care. I am so sick of 'The Italian Job.' I'm going outside. I think I saw Samantha and Mark playing frisbie." He stood up and left. Edward moved over so he was sitting next to Chris. The man smirked and leaned over.

"This is his favorite movie. We've seen it over a million times. You ever seen it?"

"No," said Edward. "What happened to Lance?"

"What?" asked Chris.

"His arm?" Chris nodded and sat back.

"Oh, that," he muttered. "He was hit by a truck when he was six. The bone broke in so many places that they couldn't save it. They had to amputate."

"He seems to do fine without it." Chris smirked.

"Of coarse he does. He's had plenty of time to adapt. You'd think he didn't miss it." Edward nodded with a smirk and sat back, glancing at the door briefly.

"Will Corina be okay?" he asked. Chris shrugged.

"For now? Yeah, I think so. In the long run? No one knows."


	2. Not Human

The sun was shining brightly when Edward stepped outside. Lance and Mark were running around with the frisbie, and Samantha was reading a book in the shade of a great weeping willow. Two adults were tending the garden, Benji, a colored man with long black dreadlocks, and Carrie, an absolute theatre nut. Her hair was shoulder length and dyed purple. Two girls were playing volleyball. Brittney and Kelly, exact opposites but really good friends. Brittney was a sort of ditsy cheerleader type girl, and Kelly was a goth like Chris (they were cousins). For a moment, it made Edward think of what he and Kim must've looked like together. Lounging in a hammock was Nate, also called the tie-dye man. The majority of his clothing was tie-dye, and he had blonde hair with blue eyes. Almost all the girls were attracted to him, and he seemed to take great pride in that.

"Hey, Eddie!" called Lance. "Wanna play?" He waved the frisbie, but Edward shook his head.

"I can't throw it," he said, holding up his hands.

"Oh," muttered Lance. "Sorry, I forgot." Edward smirked and walked towards the garden. There were two large bushes on either side, and Carrie noticed him.

"Wanna help?" she asked. Edward nodded.

"Sure."

"Those hedges need trimming. Would you mind doing that?" Edward shook his head an approached one. He stared it up and down, visualizing for a while before taking the first snip. Once he started, his entire attention was focused on it, completely droning out everyone else. His scissor hands moved rapidly, almost as though he didn't even need to think about it. The image was in his head and the rest came together. He was oblivious of the sounds of everyone around him gasping and stepping closer to take a look.

About a minute later, he stepped back and over looked his work. What had been a bush was now a large dog, complete with tongue and everything. "Whoa!" muttered Carrie. "How do you do that? That's incredible!" Edward smiled, and the others all swarmed in, chattering eagerly and ambushing him with questions and praise. He managed to escape them and they all swarmed around the large dog, giving him a few minutes to himself. There was the sound of soft footsteps in the grass behind him, and he turned to see Corina staring at the dog, wearing the same blank expression she always wore, but in her eyes he could see a tiny hint of happiness, just like the others. She looked at him for a moment, and then back at the dog.

"Edward that's amazing!" said a voice from behind. Corina slipped away, and Rodney stepped up. "I thought you had a hidden talent somewhere. Just look at that!" Edward smiled, and Rodney beamed.

"I used to cut hair," said Edward.

"I think you'll have the girls homing in on you then if you're good." He chuckled and went over to join the crowd. "Oh!" he said, turning around quickly. "I'd like to see you in my office after dinner. I have something I want to talk to you about." Edward nodded, and the doc went in and joined the crowd. He turned around and looked for Corina. She was sitting near the willow tree, writting in her sketchbook again. The small look in her eyes had made him wonder if it was possible to reach her. From that moment on, he decided he'd try so she wouldn't look so alone and miserable.

Edward sat at the table, fumbling around with everything on his plate. Eating with scissors for hands was a lot harder than it looked. Samantha wheeled over next to him with a warm smile on her face.

"Hey," she said softly. "Need help?" He nodded, and she took his fork and picked up some steak with it. He opened his mouth, and she fed him, almost feeling like she had to feed a baby. "Must be such a pain having scissors for hands," she muttered.

"Sometimes," he admitted.

"The doc will fix you up, you'll see. Once you have hands you'll be able to feed yourself and throw frisbies and things." He smirked before taking another mouthful of steak.

"Someone told me once that I wouldn't be special if I was like everyone else," he said once he could talk. Samantha looked at him with sympathy.

"That's not true," she said. "Everyone's special in their own way. You're an artist, with or without scissorhands."

"Someone else also told me that." A small smile escaped his lips as he remembered the Avon lady who took him in, so many years ago.

"I think everyone here needs to be told that once in a while. Lance feels left out sometimes because he's missing an arm. Mark used to get picked on so many times for his claws, but he uses them to carve desings, and they're great for self defense. Chris is psychic, but it comes in handy so many times. Joshua has no parents, and he needs to be told everyday that he's worth it. Then there's me in my wheel chair. I used to be a cross country runner, but then I got in a car accident and now I'm paralyzed. It took me so many years to be able to say, 'So what?'" She gave him a mouthful of mashed potatoes, and once he swallowed it he spoke.

"What happened to Corina?" he asked. "They told me the doc couldn't help her." Samantha shook her head.

"I came here after that happened, so I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. Sorry." She continued to feed him, and once he was done, he left quietly, and stepped into Rodney's office.

"You wanted to see me?" he said softly. Rodney looked up from his desk and smiled.

"Edward! Just in time. I think I have some good news for you." Edward sat down eagerley, and Rodney pulled out a folder. "I may have found a way to give you hands that word. I just need to run some x-rays first. If you'll come with me to the other room, I'll do that now." Edward nodded, and they headed down. Getting the x-rays was a strange experience for Edward, but once they were done, the doc seemed even more facinated with what he saw.

"Oh my lord..." he muttered, his eyes widening. He looked up at Edward. "You're not a real human are you?" he asked. Edward felt his stomach drop. Now what?

"No," he said softly, beginning to fear the worst.

"I've never seen anything like this. Who built you?"

"And inventor," he said softly. "He died a long time ago."

"Shame. I wish I could have met him. It takes great talent and skill to make a piece of art like yourself."

"Can you still give me hands?" asked Edward, knowing he couldn't go any longer without knowing.

"Don't be silly! Of course I can. It'll take a while, and a long operation, but I could do it." Edward smiled, feeling relieved. "It all depends on if you're willing, of course, to go through with this."

"I am," said Edward. "I want to be like everyone else." The doc smiled.

"Then I promise you I'll try to make that happen." He smiled at him reassuringly, and let Edward go off on his own.

(A/N: How was that? I wasn't so sure about it at first, but now I've got some good ideas going that might actually work. R&R, but be merciful, pleeeez!)


	3. A Good Man

Part 2:

Changes

"I wanted you to know

I love the way you laugh

I want to hold you high

And steal your pain away

I've kept your photograph

And I know it serves me well

I want to hold you high

And steal you pain

Cuz I'm broken

When I'm lonesome

And I don't feel right

When you've gone away

You've gone away..."

-'Broken', Seether and Amy Lee

Weeks went by, and Edward adjusted fairly well. He and Chris had become pretty good friends, as well as Samantha and Lance. The doc was very kind to him, and always seemed to make sure that Edward was never left out. Edward had become well known for his skill in cutting the hedges, and soon became even more well known for cutting hair. The girls came to him when they wanted a new hairstyle, and almost always loved what they got. And even if they didn't they never complained. They always felt the thrill of danger whenever those razor sharp blades were near their skin.

Corina still isolated herself from everyone else, and she was the only girl who had not gone to him for a haircut. Her hair was almost six inches below her waist. Edward had not yet succeeded in cracking her shell, but every once in a while he could have sworn he had made her crack a smirk. Joshua was still a bit of a brat, but every so often he got along well with Edward.

"When are you going to get hands?" asked Chris one day while he and Edward walked down the hallway to get to the gym.

"The doc said he was getting close to it," said Edward. "He said I might go in for surgery soon."

"You nervous?" Edward shook his head. "Most people feel a little jittery before going under the knife."

"I'm not very worried." Chris smiled and patted him on the back. "That's pretty good then. I wouldn't be too worried either. The doc will definently be able to help you, trust me."

"He didn't help Corina," said Edward, glancing at Chris to see how he'd respond. Chris sighed and shook his head.

"Now that's not fair. Corina's a whole different story. And you don't even know the half of it."

From the shadows, Corina watched as Edward and Chris passed. She was holding her cat, Snickers, in her arms and listening to them.

"I know she tried to shut out everyone, and she's sad," said Edward.

"How do you know she's trying to shut us out?"

"I saw it in her eyes," muttered Edward. "What happened to her? I want to know."

"Then she'll have to tell you," said Chris, shaking his head mournfully. "That's not my job, and it wouldn't be right. All I can say was it was hell for her and she'll probly never be able to get over it." He sighed, his face darkening. "For those of us who knew her before, it's even harder."

"What was she like?" asked Edward.

"Talkative for one thing. She always had this sort of spirit to her, and she used to be very energetic." He chuckled to himself and shook his head. "She was a little clumsy too, and had a great sense of humor." His smile faded, and he sighed. "I can only pray that she'll come back."

Edward felt his heart sink a little, and continued on to the gym with Chris, talking about other things.

When Edward reached the TV lounge, Lance, Mark, and Samantha were all gathered around a sketch book, flipping pages and gasping at what they saw. "Wow!" sighed Samantha. "It's so beautiful." Edward walked over and peered over their shoulders.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's Corina's sketchbook," said Mark. "She must've left it here on accident. Look at this!" He held it up so Edward could see. It was a rose, drawn in charcoal, every detail made perfectly. There were little water droplits on the petals, and the leaves and thorns looked so real.

"It's beautiful," he said softly.

"She loves roses," said Samantha. "There's like six other drawings of roses. They're so real looking. She's got good talent."

The door opened, and Corina rushed in, a look of worry in her face. "Hey, Cor," said Lance in a friendly tone. "Your drawings are awesome!" She stormed up to them and snatched her sketchbook away. They all looked at her, slightly shocked, and she turned and left with it, her tail whipping through the doorway angrily. "Touchy," muttered Lance.

"Something tells me we shouldn't have done that," said Samantha.

"I didn't know she'd get mad," said Mark. "I just saw it there and I wanted to see what was in it."

"It's not your fault, Mark. She just needs to be left alone," said Samantha gently. "Let's just let her be." Edward wasn't paying attention to them, but watched as she headed outside, onto the porch with her sketchbook.

Three days had passed since that day, and Edward had watched as Corina distanced herself even more. It wasn't fair, he thought. Why should she have to be alone all the time? The sketchbook incedent had made her very upset, and the next day the doc had lectured them all about the importance of other people's privacy.

Edward had become excited with other things. A date had been set for his big operation. It was two weeks away, but he couldn't wait. In fourteen days he'd have actual hands. He had told Chris who had congratulated him enthusiastically.

"That's great, Ed," he said with a grin. "You must be excited."

"I am," he said with a smile.

"Two weeks. I'll be sure and write that down. That'll be a big day for you."

Edward smiled proudly. It would be a good day for him, and he could hardly wait. Unfortunetly he still had to, but it didn't matter.

"Hey, Ed," said Samantha as Edward sat down with her at Lunch.

"Hello," he said softly with a small smirk.

"I heard the good news about your hands," she said warmly. "Sounds like you'll be putting me out of the job." He smiled.

"You'll still sit with me right?" he asked.

"Of course I will! Why wouldn't I?" She smiled warmly and gave him a spoonful of homemade applesauce, the doc's specialty. She took a bite of her own and smiled, closing her eyes and savoring the taste. "I love it when he makes this stuff. It's so good."

"I know," said Edward.

"Nice outfit by the way," she said, pointing to his dark blue jeans and blue sweater. The doc had bought it for him along with other clothes.

"The doc gave it to me," he said with a smile.

"It looks good on you." She gave him another mouthful of applesauce before turning to see Corina walk into the room to get her food. She sighed and glanced back at Edward. "I feel so terrible about the other day," she muttered. "I meant to tell her that, but she doesn't listen to anyone. She seemed so upset. I don't really understand why, though. She's such a good artist. You'd think she'd be proud to hear her work is appreciated."

"I would be," said Edward.

"That reminds me," she said, changing the subject. "Can you give me a haircut later on? I really am due for a trim." He smiled and nodded.

"Sure," he answered. "I can do it after lunch." He looked back up at Corina who was eating alone, avoiding any eye contact with anyone. She seemed so sad, and he noticed a new bandage wrapped around her right arm that started at the wrist and ended an inch below her elbow. Samantha turned and looked at her.

"Oh, don't tell me she was at it again!" she groaned.

"At what again?" asked Edward. Samantha looked at him unsure.

"I don't know if I should be telling you this, but she's a cutter. Do you know what that is?" Edward shook his head. "She cuts herself. She hurts herself and damages herself on purpose." Edward's eyes widened and he looked over at Corina.

"Why?" he asked, slightly shocked. He didn't know people did that either.

"I don't know for sure. There's so many possible reasons. All I know is the doc has been trying for years to help her stop. No one's been able to."

"That's terrible," muttered Edward. "She shouldn't have to do that."

It was dark out when Edward slipped outside, unnoticed. He had an idea, and looked up at the porch to make sure it would work. Corina was sitting there with a cup of coffee, sipping it and watching the moon. He smirked, and looked back out to a hedge nearby that needed to be trimmed. The plan may not work, but he wanted to at least try.

Moving silently, he walked over to the hedge and began to cut away at it. In the dark, he could barely see what he was doing, but he managed to slowly form the hedge into the shape he wanted. Then, waiting till the moon was giving off enough light, he form all the needed details as well as he could, and waited for Corina to notice.

It did not take long. He glanced up at the porch, but she wasn't there. His heart began to sink a little, and he feared that it wasn't going to work. A light flashed on to the hedge, and he turned to see a flashlight shining in his eyes. He blinked, and the figure moved to the side, using the flashlight to look at the hedge. It was Corina, and her eyes were wide. She scanned the hedge up and down, and stepped up to it, feeling it and resting her face against it, closing her eyes. The hedge had been formed into a giant rose on its side.

When Corina opened her eyes again, she looked at Edward and walked up to him, a smirk on her face. She placed a hand on his shoulder and her smirk grew into a small grin. Even though she didn't say anything, her eyes told him enough. This meant the world to her, and he was glad he had been able to do something for her to make her feel better.

"I hope you like it," he said softly. She blinked and he was surprised. There were actual tears in her eyes. She turned back to the giant rose, and rested her head on the stem, placing her arms around it, and feeling all the leaves with her fingers. A tear fell down her cheek, and she walked over to him, smiling weakily. She hugged him lightly before stepping back and running back into the house. Edward smiled to himself. One step at a time, he reminded himself. Just seeing her face lighten up was enough for him that night.

"I saw your little creation in the yard," said Chris as he and Edward sat in the TV lounge. Edward looked up at him but said nothing. "I thought that was a pretty cool thing you did for Corina. I'll bet she loved it."

"She hugged me," said Edward with a smirk. "I think she loved it." Chris' eyes widened.

"She what?" he muttered. "She never looks at anyone, let alone hug them! That's a huge accomplishment on her part. You must've really made her happy."

"It was real quick, and she ran away. I did want to make her happy." Samantha wheeled herself in, and looked at Edward with a smile.

"That was a sweet thing for you to do," she said with a smile. "You have no idea how much that must've meant to her. No one ever does things like that for her, ever."

"I thought it was better than hearing 'freak' everyday," he said softly.

"I thought it was very beautiful. That's so cool though how you made it for her. I would've been in tears if it were me." He smiled to himself. She had been in tears, but he decided not to tell them that.

"One more day till the operation, Ed," said the doc. He had called Edward into his office to prepare him for the big day. "You nervous?"

"A little," said Edward. "Will it hurt?"

"Not while it's happening. You'll be put under a type of medicine called anesthesia. It puts you to sleep, and you won't be able to feel a thing. It shouldn't hurt at all to begin with, but once we get those hands on there, the nerves are going to react with pain like anyone else's would. That's why we need the anesthesia." He pulled out a small diagram of the human body. "You see, I'm going to give you more than just hands. I'm going to give you full arms and a torso. It'll function a lot better than what you've go right now, and it'll make you more human like. You'll still be practically immortal though, living on forever because you won't be completely human. Your body still won't age either, which is one thing a lot of men would kill to have." He chuckled and Edward looked pleased. "When this is done, it'll take about a week of recovery before you can do much again, but I'm pretty sure you'll find it well worth it."

"Whatever it takes," said Edward softly.

"Someday, I want to do the rest of you was well, but not all at once. One step at a time." Edward nodded.

"Thank you," he said softly with a smile.

"Now, this is going to be a major procedure, almost bigger than anything I've ever done. If you want to wait a while to make yourself mentally ready, I completely understand." Edward shook his head.

"I think I'll be fine." The doc smiled.

"Good. And feel free to change your mind. I don't want to rush you into anything." Edward stood up, ready to go. "Oh, one more thing," said the doc. "I saw your rose in the yard. Corina loved it a lot. That was an awesome thing to do. Believe me, you have no idea how much it meant to her."

"She always looks so sad. I wanted to make her feel better." The doc smiled.

"You're a good man, Edward. That inventor must've given you a heart of gold. He'd be proud if he could see you now. I mean that." Edward smiled greatfully, and the doc allowed him to leave.


	4. Hands

There was a piece of paper laying on Edward's bed when he went into his room. He walked over to it, staring at it for a while curiously, and then carefully flipped it over. It was a drawing from Corina of him holding a rose. The details had been done so perfectly, and he smiled as he looked at it. There had been no voice or mouth movements, but he had been the first person there to make her talk (other than the doc). Later that day, he had Samantha help him tape it on the wall. She beamed at him as she worked.

"I told you it would mean a lot to her," she said softly.

"You said she likes roses," said Edward with a smirk. "I wanted to make her smile."

"She does seem to love them. I don't know why, but it's like they're symbolic to her or something. Everything she draws seems to have a rose in it somewhere. I wonder what it means to her." Edward shrugged.

"They're just special to her I guess." Samantha smiled at him.

"I never thought I'd say this, but you might be the one who'll be able to pop her out of her shell. Don't get your hopes up though, she hasn't spoken much in two years from what I've heard."

"Then there's still a chance," said Edward, and with that they left and went outside to where the others were.

Corina was the only one in the TV lounge when he stepped in. At first he felt like turning around and leaving her alone, but something stopped him, and he walked in anyways. Corina glanced up at him casually, and then turned back to the TV, seeming fine that he was there.

"I got your drawing," he said as he sat down on the sofa. "It's really good. Thank you." There was silence, and Corina didn't respond. Edward glanced at the TV, pretending not to notice. Perhaps her reaction the other night was a one time thing? He hoped that eventually he could see the side of her again that he had uncovered that night. He wanted to see her turn back into who Chris said she was, happy, energetic, and clumsy. All those things put together was better than how she was now.

His eyes strayed to the bandage on her arm, and he could see a few discolored spots, probably from blood. "Did that hurt?" he asked softly. Corina's eyes closed, and her lips trembled. She nodded slowly and a tear fell down her face. "Someone told me you do that to yourself. Doesn't it hurt?" She nodded again and sniffled gently, she was shaking a little. "You shouldn't do that then," he continued, trying to sound sympathetic. "Hurting yourself only makes it worse. And you always look so sad. Why would you want to make it worse than it already is?"

Corina pushed herself to her feet and slowly walked towards the door, her head hanging low and her hair hiding a good portion of her face. "Don't go," said Edward softly. Corina stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. Her bandaged arm was held up a little, and she massaged it with her other hand, as if she were trying to tell him something. She then turned and left silently, leaving him to stare.

"Are you ready for this?" asked the doc as he got his equipment ready. Edward was laying on the operating table, feeling extremely anxious for the first time. This was it. It was now or never. He was going to have hands!

"Yes," he said softly. "Just a little nervous." The doc nodded.

"That's very normal. I'd be concerned if you were just sitting there, completely okay." He chuckled and Edward smiled. "Now, you'll be in some pain once this is over, but I'll give you some painkillers to dull the pain. It won't take it all away of coarse, but it'll help." There was a tapping on the window and they both looked over to see the others standing there, waving and smiling at him.

"Good luck, Edward!" shouted Carrie.

"You're gonna be fine!" shouted Brittney.

"See you on the other side, Eddie!" cheered Chris, followed by an uproar of 'Eddie!'s. The doc smiled and walked over, signalling them to go.

"They'll all be waiting for you I can guarantee it," he said with a smile. He drew a shade over the window, and grabbed the anesthesia mask. "Ready?" he asked. Edward paused, looking around the room.

"Yes," he said at last. The doc held the mask to his face, and that was the last thing he remembered.

The operation lasted for nearly half the day, and when the doc finally stepped out, the group was still there, looking up at him anxiously. "How'd it go?" asked Samantha, wheeling up to him with a nervous face. The doc smiled reassuringly at all of them.

"He pulled through just fine," he said softly, recieving a few whoo-hoo's from the boys. "He's sleeping now, and he's got a heck of a lot of recovering to do, but the operation was a success."

"So he has hands then?" asked Carrie eagerly.

"Oh he's got hands alright," said the doc with a grin. "He's also got arms, a chest, and a normal neck, all perfectly functioning and able to feel things."

"Alright!" cheered some of them, and high-fives were passed around.

"Hush!" said the doc, glancing back in the other room. "I need to stay here and run some tests, but the rest of you can leave so he can sleep. Go!" They groaned, and left quietly.

Corina stared through the operating room window, which no longer was covered up, and watched Edward who was sound asleep, looking peaceful. "Can I trust you here with him," asked the doc from behind. Corina turned and looked at him. "Want to go get some shut-eye. Will you watch him for me?" Corina nodded. "If he wakes up, I've left a bottle of Advil on the counter. Give him two of those and don't let him move much. He needs to lay still if he wants to heal properly. You can set his bed upright if you want, but carefully." Corina nodded again. "Thanks. Just come and get me if something bad happens." He patted her on the shoulder as he left, and Corina stared at Edward again as he slept. He seemed completely peaceful, and she wondered when the last time was that she had slept that well.

"Doesn't that hurt?"

She could still hear him asking her that question from the night before. It made her stomach turn a dozen times. Edward was so innocent. He didn't understand things like that. He didn't know what it was like to live like she did. She hated people for that. Unless they understood fully what she was going through, she knew that they couldn't help her. He couldn't help her, even though she knew he wanted to. The rose outside was still beautiful, and she admired it every night. It made her think of him, without meaning to.

What did he look like now? she wondered. His face seemed the same, but she wondered how the rest of him looked. Was it real or fake looking. The doc had left her in charge, and she slipped into the room quietly, making sure the door didn't slam when it closed. Edward slept on, oblivious to the fact that she was there. Corina approache him nervously, and reached out, gently touching the blanket. She pulled it down a little and looked at his neck. The doc had managed to make the skin color the same as his face. There wouldn't be much of a scar left behind at all. She pulled the blanket down to his waist and left it there, admiring the doc's handiwork. The chest did not look fake at all. And his arms were perfect. The hands were just right, and she knew he'd be happy with what he saw when he woke up. There were bandages from where the doc had stitched him up, but nothing that should be too painful for him.

He twitched a little, and she pulled the blanket back in place, taking great care in not waking him up. Edward lay still, his breathing remaining normal, and she sighed, glad that he was not waking up yet. She didn't even know why she cared. He wasn't even her friend. All he had done was make her that rose. Why did it still mean so much to her now? Could he have really effected her that much? She was still in the room, she pointed out.

A yawn escaped her mouth. It had been a long day for everyone, especially the doc. The work done was perfect, and he deserved praise for it. She pulled up a chair and sat down, closing her eyes for a moment to relax...

Corina dozed off at some point, and stayed asleep until Edward woke up, some hours later. His vision was still a little fuzzy from the anesthesia wearing off, and gradually he began to feel pain from his neck to his waist. He groaned, and Corina's eyes snapped open. It took her a moment to wake up completely, but she did eventually, and Edward didn't notice she was there until she stood up and stretched her legs a little.

When she turned around, she saw he was awake, and moved to the Advil bottle on the counter without saying a word. She placed two in her hand and filled a small dixie cup up with water, bringing them to him quietly. Edward took the pills without a word, and sat back, looking tired still. "Where's the doc?" he asked after a while. Corina shrugged. Edward sighed and rubbed his head with his hand without even realizing it. Corina watched patiently, and he suddenly looked at his hand with wide eyes. A smile broke out on his weary face, and he held up his other hand, looking it over in facination.

"Look who finally woke up," said a voice from the doorway. They both looked to see the doc walk in. "Thanks for watching him, Cor," he said. Corina nodded and left silently. "Did she give you some pills?" he asked. Edward nodded groggily. "That's good," said the doc. "Are you in any pain right now? Any discomfort?"

"A little pain," said Edward in a sleepy voice.

"That'll wear off. I want you to lay still for today, and rest up. You need to revover now. Are you hungry or do you just want to sleep?"

"Sleep," he muttered with a half smirk.

"Alright then. There's a red button near your bed. Push it if you need anything." The doc left him, and Edward fell asleep again almost immediatly.

Samantha, Chris, and Lance all visited Edward the next day. He was much more awake now, and not in too much pain. He let Samantha touch his hand and look at it. A smile came to his face. He could feel her, and he loved being able to feel with his hands.

"They're so real," said Samantha with a smile.

"How you holding up?" asked Chris with a grin.

"Pretty good," said Edward. "It hurts a little."

"I bet it does. You just got an entire chest and arm makeover. It had to hurt a little."

"Corina gave me some pain killers when I woke up," he said softly. "They helped." Samantha looked at him surprised.

"Corina was in here?" she asked. Edward nodded. "Did she say anything?"

"No," he said in a sad tone. "She never talks."

"I thought she would, after what you made for her in the yard." Chris glanced at her in surprise.

"Are you kidding? You could make yourself a eunuch for her, and she still won't say anything," he muttered. Samantha got the giggles, and Edward smirked.

"I wish she would talk," said Edward softly. "I want to know why she cuts herself." Chris' gaze saddened, and Samantha sat back in her wheelchair. "Why can't you tell me?"

"I already told you. It's not my job," he said shaking his head.

"I have to know," said Edward darkly. "I have to know what happened to her two years ago. Please, tell me."

"Yes, please do," begged Samantha. Chris sighed and looked around nervously.

"Alright, I will, but this is a secret that stays in this place. The last thing we need is to have complete strangers treating her the way Joshua does." They both nodded, and Chris stood up, closing the door and came back to them, sitting in a squashy sort of chair. "Corina's been here for a long time. She was an orphan, and on to her third foster family. The doc met her during a check up, and felt pity for her. When the third foster family gave her up, he took her in and that's how this place got started. The thing is, Corina didn't look like she does now. She looked normal. No tail, regular skin, and her eyes were blue."

"What happened?" asked Samantha.

"I'll get to it. So anyway, she fit right in and got along with everyone as they came and went. We were pretty good friends up until about two years ago. That's when it all went wrong." He shook his head. "That was when I started to notice her talking to people I couldn't see, but she swore up and down they were there. She began to do things for them, and it got to the point where she almost died. Apparently one of them was chasing her around, and she dodged out of the way and right in front of a speeding Ferrari."

"Holy cow!" muttered Samantha.

"Yeah," said Chris, nodding sadly. "She got out very lucky with both legs broken and a dislocated arm. It wasn't till she was in the hospital that she got diagnosed." He paused and sighed, shaking his head mournfully. "She had Schizophrenia." Samantha placed a hand over her mouth and muttered, 'Oh no!' Edward looked at him confused.

"Skizophrenia?" he asked.

"It's when you hear voices in your head and sometimes you see them. But they're never there. It's all in your head but you can't tell the difference from what was real and what wasn't. She basically woke up in a hospital bed one day to learn that the majority of her friends and the people she saw were never real. It was like she had to start her life all over again."

"I can't even begin to imagine what that must've been like," muttered Samantha.

"It was hell for her," said Chris. "She was absolutely devistated and that lead to extreme depression and the cutting. Now she shuts herself out from everyone, afraid she'll become attached to someone who really isn't there. She's on medications now, but every once in a while she has a hallucination, so she figures the easy way out is to ignore everyone and never get attached to them in the first place. The doc is the only exception because he must've found a way to prove to her he was real."

"That's not fair," said Edward. He felt extreme sympathy for Corina now, and even angry that it even had to happen. "That shouldn't have happened."

"Damn strait," said Chris. "I don't understand why things like that happen to people like her? It's not right, and it makes me so angry everytime I see her."

"Why does she look like she does?" asked Samantha.

"Extreme misery and pain can be an ugly thing if you let it devour you. Litteraly. Something with all the misery did it I suppose. All I know is she's never been herself since."

Edward sighed and looked at the chair Corina had been sitting in the night before.

(A/N: The preceeding was dedicated to my friends who think that just because bad things happen to you, you're a bad person and it's your fault. R&R!)


	5. Snowy Miracle

Part 3:

Of Roses and Thorns...

"...You know I can't be there

Each time that you call

I swore not to come

But I'm here afterall

I know by the look that

I see in your eyes

I won't stand around

And I won't watch you die..."

-'Because of You', Nickleback

'...I cry when angels deserve to die...'

-System of a Down

Edward stood in front of his mirror, brushing his hair up into it's usual spikes that went in every dirrection. He had gotten so used to having it like that, and he decided not to change it yet. The doc had given him a watch, and he wore it proudly, glad that he had actual wrists to place it on. The scissor hands sat on top of his dresser, and he kept them as a memory of the professor who had originally built him.

Outside, the others were playing and absorbing up the sunlight while they could. He joined in a big game of volleyball, boys against girls. Even though they were outnumbered, and had one player in a wheel chair, the girls beat the boys terribly.

"We let you win!" called out Lance.

"Yeah, sure!" called back Carrie. "You loose!"

"Just wait till next time!" called Chris. "We'll cream you all!"

"If it helps you sleep at night," laughed Samantha.

"It was all luck," called Edward. "We'll win next time. Just watch."

They all laughed and headed inside for some iced tea and fresh chocolate chip cookies. While they sat around, talking an laughing, Edward saw Corina take her plate and glass, and sit by herself in the large window sill. There were cushions placed there, and pillows to make it a relaxing place. He felt bad for her still, not really being able to look at her the same ever since he learned about what had happened to her.

Taking his own plate, he moved over to the window seat, and sat down across from her. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked. She looked up at him and shook her head. Samantha was watching from the table, and nudged Chris, pointing in their dirrection.

"Good luck," muttered Chris, and he turned back to his cookies.

Edward spotted a new bandage wrapped around her hand. "What happened there?" he asked softly. Corina didn't even need to look to know what he was talking about. She rubbed the bandage involuntarily, but said nothing. "I really wish you didn't do that. It looks so painful." She didn't respond, but continued eating silently. "I don't know what they've told you, but I do care about you. You don't have to hide from me."

Her eyes closed slowly, and she leaned back, turning her head to the side and opening them so she was looking at the others, all talking and eating together. Completely forgetting about her. "Chris says he misses you," said Edward softly. "They care to. They just don't know what to do." She looked at him and then back at her glass of iced tea. "I want to help you." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Her bottom lip was trembling a little and she shook her head.

"No you don't," she mouthed out, barely making a sound. She stood up and walked away, leaving him to sit alone there, watching her go. He didn't give up, and stood up, catching up to her and taking her gently by the arm.

"I do," he whispered. She tore free and looked at him. "Please." Her face contorted in pain and she stepped back nervously, shaking her head, and then turned and headed up the stairs to her room.

Edward was trimming the rose when Corina came to him that night. Ever since he had made it, he took great care into making sure it kept its shape for her. He was just finishing when she came outside, silent as always, but watching him until he turned and saw her. He stared at her for a while, wondering what she wanted. She stepped up to the rose, and he turned to walk away and leave her be. Corina looked up to see him walking away.

"Don't go."

The words were soft and faint, but he heard them and stopped dead in his tracks. She spoke, for real this time. He turned around slowly and looked at her.

"Yes?" he asked. She didn't say anything, but signalled him to come closer. He obeyed, and was soon standing a foot apart from her, staring at her.

"Don't go," she repeated softly.

"I won't," he said, staring at her curiously. She nodded and turned back to the rose, staring at it and feeling it softly with her hands. He stepped up and placed a cautious hand on her shoulder. She froze and he stepped up, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her gently. He felt her start to cry, but he didn't let go. Her hands reached up and gently touched his arms, and he opened them up enough for her to turn around and rest her head in his chest. He held her protectively, and she wrapped her arms around him, crying softly in his arms. His chin rested on her head, and he closed his eyes, remembering the last time he had held anyone like this.

He missed Kim so much, but there was nothing he could do now to bring her back. All he could do now was live for now like she would have wanted him to. Corina's crying gradually died, but she stayed in place, not ready to leave his safe embrace yet. When she did, it was slowly and half heartedly. She stared at him for a while, wiping her tears away. Edward placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile.

"It's okay," he whispered. He took her bandaged hand in his and stroked it lightly with his thumbs. "This," he said, looking down at it briefly. "This has to stop. It hurts the others to see things like this and not be able to help you."

"It's too late," she whispered. He shook his head.

"No," he replied.

"No one wants to help," she said, shaking her head. He looked at her for a minute, greyblue eyes sparkling a little.

"I do." She stared at him with teary eyes, and, not really knowing what he was doing, he placed a small kiss on her forehead. He didn't know why he had done that, but she didn't push him away. Instead she remained still, and he looked at her again. "Do you even care?" With that he walked away, and she turned, watching him leave.

Edward and Samantha were talking in the TV lounge the next day. He told her about what had happened, trusting her not to spread it around, especially not to Chris. He might become angry if he learned the Corina was talking, but not to him.

"You kissed her?" gasped Samantha.

"On the forehead," said Edward, blushing a little. "I wanted to show her I care. It was the only thing I could think of."

"But you don't have feelings for her then," she asked.

"No more than a friend," he said softly, shaking his head. "I fell in love a long time ago. It hasn't happened again since."

"What happened?"

He thought of the people shouting for him to go, Jim trying to kill him, and saying goodbye to Kim, right before she told him she loved him. He never saw her again after that. A sigh escaped his lips and he shook his head. "It wasn't meant to last," he whispered.

"Fall out of love with each other?"

He shook his head. "Love was never the problem. Just people. People who couldn't accept someone who was different." Samantha gave him a look of sympathy.

"How long ago was that?"

"I don't know. A very long time ago." His gaze saddened. "I knew I loved her the moment I saw her photograph for the first time. I loved her so much." Samantha wheeled next to him and rubbed his back comfortingly. "I haven't been able to fall in love again since." Samantha sighed.

"That's one of the saddest things I've ever heard. You know what I think?" He glanced up at her.

"What?"

"I think it'd be so cute if you and Corina ended up together." Edward snickered.

"She barely even talks to me. How could that ever happen? I don't feel anything for her. At least, I don't think I do." Samantha smirked.

"Love is a complecated emmotion. When it happens, you'll know it's happened. And don't let what I said get in the way of anything. It's your choice after all." He smiled and nodded. Samantha stood up and left him.

Corina stepped into her room and found a rose laying on her pillow with a note. It was from Edward, and the note read, 'Thinking of you' on it. She smirked a little and sat on her bed. Under the pillow was a razor blade she had been using to cut with. She thought it was ironic that the rose was laying on the exact same pillow. Her smirk grew into a smile and she reached for her sketchbook.

Edward was tired and ready to go to sleep when he found the drawing on his bed. The drawing was of her holding a rose in her hands, and him standing behind her with a smirk on his face. He smiled and went to tape it to the wall.

(one month later...)

"Edward, I've got good news for you," said the doc as he sat down with him at his desk. "I've finally come up with the plans to finish you. I'll be ready to operate on you in two weeks." Edward smiled with excitement.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah. Pretty soon you'll have normal legs and feet like everyone else. The operation should be about the same, and you'll feel about the same amount of pain, and it'll take you about the same amount of time to recover. Possibly even more before you can walk properly because of certain areas that need to be done..." He coughed, and Edward smirked, a little amused. "Any questions?"

"No," he said softly. The doc smiled.

"Good then. I'll be ready to operate in two weeks. One more thing, before I forget, Corina's been making big improvements over the last few weeks. I want to thank you for that. I know you've been doing things to try and make her feel better." Edward smiled.

"She's doing better?"

"Well, I've certainly seen a change. She still has a long ways to go, don't get me wrong. But the influence you've had on her has her off to a good start. I think she's been needing someone to show they give a damn like you have. I really do think it's been helping her."

"Thank you," he said, smirking.

Corina was alone in the TV lounge when Edward found her. She was drawing again, and Edward approached her slowly.

"The doc says you've been doing better." She didn't respond, and he kneeled down so he could sort of see her face. "This is for you." He placed a rose on her sketchbook, and she stopped drawing and picked it up, holding it so she could sniff it.

"Thank you," she whispered. He smiled and turned to leave, thinking that'd be all he'd get out of her for the day. But a hand on his arm stopped him, and she stepped in front of him with a small smirk in her face. Without saying a word, she pulled up her sleeve, revealing an almost unmarked arm. What was still there was scabbed over and not very fresh looking. He smiled and gently touched it with his hand. "I'm trying," she said in an almost inaudible tone.

Her expression suddenly turned cold again as the door behind him opened and someone walked in. Edward turned and saw Chris standing there, staring at both of them suspiciously.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked. Corina side stepped Edward and left the room almost immediatly. Chris turned as she walked away and then looked back at Edward. "She spoke didn't she?" he asked, but more as a statement than a question.

"Yes," said Edward. Chris gave him a look of excitement, but it didn't seem too happy to him.

"Really?" he asked. "What'd she tell you?"

"She just said thankyou for the rose," said Edward. Chris growled and turned away.

"I've been trying for the last two years to get her to talk and then you show up and within months she's chirping like a bird. Is that how it is?" Edward was a litted surprised. Why was Chris angry with him?  
"She barely says anything to me," he said softly. "And when she does it's rare."

"Well it's more than what she says to me," snarled Chris, and with that he stormed out. Samantha was wheeling in when he barged out, and he just missed her. She turned to watch him go, and looked back at Edward.

"What's with him?" she asked.

"He's mad at me," said Edward. "Corina said two words to me and he got angry because she's not talking to him."

"You know what's strange," said Samantha. "Sometimes I think he doesn't want her to talk again. It might be just me, but sometimes I get the feeling that he likes her silent."

"I don't think so," said Edward. "He cares about her too much."

Samantha just shrugged. "Like I said, it might be just me." Her eyes suddenly darted to the window and a large smile broke out on her face. "I don't believe it! It's snowing!" Edward looked at the window and sure enough, snow was falling and beginning to build up in the windowsil. Edward smirked. This was the first real snow they had ever had, and they didn't know it.

"How?" he muttered to himself. He shrugged and decided not to question a miracle while it was happening.

Edward stood in the snow, looking at the beautiful white land around him. The doc had bought him a coat, gloves, and a scarf the night before so he could enjoy the snow with the others.

"It's so beautiful," cried Carrie from behind as she ran out in her fleece jacket and rainbow striped scarf. She ran over to the side and fell on her back, making a snow angel.

"Snowball war!" shouted Lance as he and a the other boys all ran out, rapidly making snowballs and throwing them at each other. Even the doc came out and joined in the battle. Edward watched from the sidelines, not quite ready to be caked in icy cold powder.

"Where's Corina?" asked the doc. "She should be enjoying this too." Edward glanced up at her bedroom window and got an idea.


	6. Speak

Corina slipped on her wool sweater and sat on the floor beside her bed with her sketchbook, carefully sketching a new drawing when Edward stepped in. She glanced up at him and spotted the look on his face. It was a sort of mischievious grin and he had one hand behind his back, hiding something. She stared at him curiously, when, without warning, he pulled out a snow ball and threw it at her. At first her mouth was open in shock, but when she saw him run for the door, a smile slowly formed on her face and she rose to her feet, chasing after him and down the stairs.

Everyone was shoked to see Corina barge outside with Edward with a smile on her face, and were even more surprised to see her spring on him and bring him down. Edward looked up, laughing as she climb off of him, smiling and helping him to his feet.

"Corina, glad you could make it," said the doc, acting casual. "Wanna join us?" She nodded and she and Edward got on opposing sides, hammering each other with snowballs. It was a pleasant sort of relief for the others to see her smiling and sometimes giggling a little. She did not speak at all though, but it didn't seem to matter to the others.

For a minute, some of them caugh a glimpse of her old self, those who had actually been around long enough to know what that was at least.

When the war had finally ended, they all slipped inside for hot cocoa and a movie. Edward, however, lingered in the common room with Corina, sitting in the padded windowsil, a fireplace not too far away from them so they stayed warm.

"I didn't know if you'd get mad about the snowball," he said softly with a small smirk. "Guess not."

"I haven't had a snowball fight in years," she said softly, sipping her cocoa. "It rarely snows here, but I used to live in Colorado." Edward glanced at her, a little surprised. This was more talking than normal for her.

"I thought you always lived here," he muttered. She shook her head.

"I went through three foster homes before here. The second was in Colorado, up in the mountains." She smirked a little. "It was so beautiful up there. Even in the winter. I really wish I could've stayed with that family."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Family crisis," she muttered, shaking her head and frowning a little. "Their little boy died from a sudden asthma attack. No one had seen it coming." She sighed and looked down. "Things just got too hard for them and they decided that it'd be better for me to be in a happier environment. I never wanted to go."

"I'm sorry," he said softly. She glanced up at him.

"Why? It's not your fault. These things happen. We're all going to die sometime."

"I never did," said Edward. "Everyone else grew old but I never did. I just stayed the same."  
"Forever young," she muttered. "Wish I could have stayed young."

"You're not old," he said, staring at her confused. "You don't look old."

"Appearences can be decieving. I feel old, Edward. I'm too young to be feeling like this. I'm only seventeen, but I've been ready to die for years."

"You shouldn't be," he said softly.

"I know I shouldn't be, but I am. You have no idea what I've been through. No idea." He wanted to say that he heard the story, but suddenly thought better of it.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked softly. She looked at him and smirked.

"You can't take the weight of the world on your shoulders, Edward. It's too overbearing. If I were you, I'd be more worried about that operation coming up."

"Are you going to be there again?"

"If you want me to. Waking up alone in that room is a scary thing, believe me, especially if you can't remember how you got there."

He smiled a little.

"And we can talk, right?" She stared at him for a moment.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" He adjusted his seat a little and smirked.

"Because your eyes lighten up when you talk. You don't seem so sad." She looked back out the window, biting her lip. Her eyes were growing wet, and Edward moved a little closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please don't cry," he said softly. She broke, and he put his arms around her, letting her cry on his shoulder.

She stopped a few minutes later, and they sat around talking until it was dark outside, and the only light was the fire place. "Do you mind if I play some music?" she asked. "It's getting too quiet around here." He nodded, and she walked over to the stereo, staring at the CD rack next to it. "Dave Matthews Band okay with you?" He shrugged. He had heard of them, but had never listened to them (poor deprived soul...).

"Yeah," he said softly.

"Just checking. Some people just can't stand him. Don't understand why though." She placed the CD in and let it play. "It's their latest album, 'Some Devil.' I love it." She smiled a little and went back to where she had been sitting.

"I used to listen to music when my inventor was alive," he said softly. "That was a very long time ago."

"What kind of music?"

"Classical, with violins and things." She nodded and leaned back.

"I like listening to piano and guitar music. I can play the guitar too." He raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" he asked.

"Can't sing, but it's a start," she said, cracking a smile. "Do you read?"

"Sometimes," he said. "I like Edgar Allan Poe."

"He's an awesome writer," she said with a grin. "Have you read 'The Tell Tale Heart?'"

"It sort of scared me," he said, snickering.

"I love that one. Scary stories are my favorites. Same with movies. If it's not a horror film then it's not worth it."

"I've never watched one, and I'm not sure I'd want to," he said with a shrug.

"Some time you and I should watch 'The Sixth Sense'. It's not horror, but it's scary, sort of. I think you'd love it."

"Why do you like being scared?" he asked. She snickered and glanced out the window, trying to think of a reason.

"I guess... it's the rush I love. The way you get the urge to look over your shoulder every two seconds, or the way you become scared to death of the dark for a while. I just like it." Even her tail started wagging with excitement. Edward laughed a little.

"I'm going to get some dinner," he said, standing up and stretching, realizing they had been there for a long time.

"Can you bring me a plate?" she asked.

"We're allowed to eat out here?"

"No," she laughed. "Never stops me though. I hate eating in that crowded cafeteria with all those people. It's a lot nicer out here." He smirked and nodded.

"What do you want?"

"It's pizza night isn't it?" she asked, sitting up.

"I think so."

"Bring me a slice of pepperoni then. And bring the parmesean cheese too." He nodded and headed out the door. "Thankyou," she called as he left.

A few minutes later he returned with an entire pizza box of pepperoni pizza, a 2 liter bottle of Mt. Dew, and the parmesean cheese. "The doc caught me and said to take the whole box," he said with a laugh. "He said he trusts us to finish the entire thing." Corina laughed and sat down on the floor with him, sitting crosslegged.

"I pig out on pizza, so trust me, I think we can eat it all." She poured herself a glass of Mt. Dew and took a big gulp. They both chatted while eating pizza. Edward had to be careful not to make her laugh while she was biting into the pizza, or else the parmesean cheese would shoot out everywhere. After a while the pizza was long gone, and they sat around, talking. Corina had found a tennis ball and they tossed it back and forth while talking. Each time they caught it, they would have to ask a question.

"Alright," she said, catching it. "What's your favorite color?"

"Red," he said with a smirk. She tossed it to him and he thought for a minute. "What's your favorite ice cream?"

"Cookie dough," she said without hesitating. He tossed it and she leaned back. "Have you ever been kissed before?" He snickered and nodded.

"Once," he said softly.

"Only once?" she asked, seeming shocked. He nodded. "That's one more time than I've ever been kissed." She tossed the ball.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" he asked.

"Nope. I was an unexpected pregnancy. Mom died of AIDS and my father just disappeared. Don't really care to know where he is now." She caught the ball and thought for a while.

"Favorite soda?"

"Orange soda," he said with a grin. It was his turn again. "Have you ever painted instead of drawn?"  
"I attempted to."

"What happened?" She chuckled to herself and shook her head.

"Let's just say I only draw for a reason." He smiled and tossed her the ball. "Have you ever been in love?" He paused for a moment, almost seeming as though the question pained him.

"Yes," he answered. "She's dead by now." Corina's eyes widened.

"You've only been in love with one girl, and you've only been kissed by one girl in your entire life?" she asked, seeming amazed.

"Yes."

"That's so sad, and so sweet. Have you ever tried to fall in love again?" He glanced at her for a few minutes, staring her down almost.

"Why should I? They all go anyway and I end up alone in the end." This answer seemed to surprise her more than the last one.

"That's sort of lonely. How could anyone live like that?" He looked at her.

"You tell me."

"I seperate myself from everyone for a reason," she said, a little deffensively. "I made the mistake of trusting people once and almost got killed for it. You can't trust people."

"Not all people are bad," he said, shaking his head. "What about the doc?"

"He's the exception, and so are you. But that's it. People here, they all act like they've got it all together but they don't. You can't believe everything you see in here. You'd have to have been here as long as I have to know these things."

"That's not true," he said, staring at her in disbelief. "The others, other than Joshua, they don't hurt people." Corina stood up.

"Oh yeah? Let me introduce you to the real Lance sometime. He told me once that I should just kill myself and get it over with. And then there's Carrie. Sweet and nice on a good day, but once you see her on a bad day... let's just say you'll be lucky to have all your fingers still in tact. Then there's..." she stopped, biting her lip and turned away from him, looking out the window at the snow that was falling. She took a minute to calm herself. "People here, sometimes are no different from people out there." Edward walked up to her.

"Who was the last one you were going to say?" he asked suspiciously. She shook her head and tried to walk away.

"It doesn't matter. There's no one." Edward placed his hands on her shoulders and stopped her.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, in his regular innocent tone.

"Nothing, alright? I just got a little angry is all," she said, forcing a smile.

"Who's hurting you?" he asked, not fooled.

"God, Ed, no one is hurting me." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm just really tired, okay? I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm sorry." He sighed. It was a poor excuse, but he took it, knowing he wouldn't be able to get her to talk. He didn't need to get envolved with her problems, right?

"Sorry," he said softly, stepping back from her. "I didn't mean to make you angry." He sat down on the windowsil and leaned against the wall.

"It's not your fault," she said softly. "I'm going to bed now. Good night." He looked up at her a smiled warmly.

"Good night."

She gave him a half smile and headed up the stairs. Edward looked back out the window and decided he'd stay there for a little while longer.

Corina reached her bedroom and flipped on the lights. She didn't know why she had gotten so out of control down there, but she felt bad. Her head was throbbing and she realized she still needed to take her meds. A yawn escaped her mouth and she stretched, her eyes looking around the room, spotting something on her pillow. She stopped stretching and walked over, picking up the rose from her pillow case.

Her lips curved into a smile, and without thinking she ran down the stairs and back into the common room where Edward still sat, watching the snow. She stood there, completely unnoticed for a while until she opened her mouth to speak. "Edward, I-" she stopped suddenly, catching what she was about to say. "...thank you," she said softly. "For the rose." He looked at her, knowing there was something else, but deciding to ignore it.

"You're welcome," he said softly. She stood there for a while, then, deciding there was no point in standing there, she went back up the stairs and into her bedroom.

She paused briefly in the doorway, whispering the three words she was going to say but didn't. "I love you."

(A/N: Thankgiving is coming! I can't believe it. Wow, how time flies. G2G. Hasta la vista, bebe... hehehehe...)


	7. Stolen Innocence

Part 4

Stolen Innocence

(A/N: The following has parts that hint to rape but nothing is actually described. You just get the idea oh what's happened. Just thought it fair to warn you.)

"Unsure of yourself

You stand divided now

Deep trouble led you there

Last time you fell and you hit hard

Your wounds have healed by now

But you still see your scars

But it's not the way it used to be right now

You've come so far

To just let this go, my friend

Don't go out the same way

You did the last time

You'll break

When you fall, don't make

The same mistakes you did

All over, you've got to believe in yourself

This time..."

-3 Doors Down

"Where were you yesterday?" asked Samantha as Edward stepped into the TV lounge.

"What?" he asked.

"After the snowball war. You just disappeared with Corina."

"We were in the common room."

"Doing what? Staring at each other?" she snickered and started flipping through channels. "The Simpsons is on!" she cheered and sat back.

"We talked," he said softly.

"Don't tell Chris that," she said, glancing up at him. "He'll get mad again cuz she's still not talking to him." He nodded and glanced at the screen. Homer was attempting to build a grill and was doing terrible.

"How am I supposed to understand these dirrections?" he cried. "They don't make any sense! I'll try reading the French version... Le grille? What's that??! Doh'!"

Edward snickered and shook his head. "That's a little sad."

"Good ol' American humor. Ya gotta love it," said Samantha. "So what all did you two talk about?"

"Things," he said softly. "She used to live in Colorado."

"Up in Brekenridge," said Samantha. "That's what Chris told me. He said she had some really beautiful photo's of the place. She likes the mountains."

"I would like to go there sometime. It sounds nice."

Samantha leaned over and peered out the window. "I think someone wants you," she said softly. Edward looked over and spotted Corina standing there, still in her pajamas and bath robe. Her hair hung limp, and she let her head hang low, her eyes looking up at him. Something was wrong with her. He stood up and started for the door.

"Ask her if she's okay for me," said Samantha. Edward nodded and stepped outside to her.

"Corina?" he asked softly. "Are you okay." She stepped up to him burried her head in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and felt the hot tears soaking through his shirt. "What happened?"

She stepped back a little and handed him something. He recognized it only from commercials. An EPT pregnancy test. It was positive.

His eyes widened and she placed a hand over her mouth, muffling out sobs. "Oh no," he muttered, stepping up to her. She broke down and he held her close. Samantha had wheeled out from the TV lounge and was watching them curiously.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Get the doc," said Edward, stroking Corina's hair. "Quick." Samantha nodded an wheeled out. This was bad. Corina was too young to be having kids. And who had she been with anyway? He didn't know she had a boyfriend. Somehow the thought of that crushed him inside, and the thought of him getting her pregnant made it worse.

"Corina?" came the doc's voice. Edward looked up, and Corina stepped out of his arms, wiping away tears and forcing herself to face the doc. "What's wrong?" She held up the EPT and he took it, looking at it. His gaze saddened a little, and for a moment the great doc looked completely blank on what to do. He stood there, staring at it for the longest time, almost as if he wanted it to vanish. Corina's tears began to come harder, and he looked back up at her. "I want you to come with me."

She nodded and started to follow him. Her eyes turned back to Edward, and she grabbed on to his wrist, tugging him towards her. The doc noticed and shook his head.

"Corina, I need you to come alone," he said sadly.

"Please," said Corina in a soft voice. Edward heard Samantha gasp but ignored her. Samantha had never heard Corina's voice before. The doc looked at Edward who was staring back, looking a little shaken and nervous, but held on to Corina's hand none the less.

"Alright, but you'll need to wait outside while I do some tests." Corina nodded and Edward went with them into one of the small rooms with some equipment he was not familiar with. "Edward, I need you to wait outside for me. It'll only take a few minutes." He nodded and watched Corina as she went inside. There was nothing to do out there, but sit in one of the hallway chairs and wait. Corina was with someone, was all he could think about. She was seeing someone and doing things with them that he didn't even want to think about. He should have known. He felt absolutely stupid that he had even let himself start to veiw her as more than a friend.

But, there was something that made no sense. Why would she we doing IT with someone? It didn't sound like her at all. She didn't speak to anyone there except for him and the doc. Even then, other than the previous night, she was barely even lively. It didn't sound like she would even consider doing that... unless. His heart froze. What if someone was forcing her? She had mentioned something about being hurt by someone. Even when he had pressed her on it she had gotten deffensive.

He suddenly felt sick. Why did he have to know this? Well, he didn't know this for sure, but why did the thought even need to occure to him? This was so much bigger than anything he had ever dealt with. He placed his head in his hands and sat there motionless, beginning to understand now why Corina shut herself away from the world, from things like this.

The door opened, and he looked up to see the doc signall him to come in. He obeyed, and sat down in a seat across from him. This was an office, and the back room attached to it was where Corina was. He could see her sitting on a metal table, staring down at her knees.

"Has she said anything to you about this?" asked the doc.

"She showed me the test a few minutes ago. That's all I know," he said softly. The doc sighed and shook his head.

"Corina has bruising on her thighs and between her legs. There's fingernail scratches as well. What's bothering me is some of them are fresh. Did anything suspicious happen last night? Did she say anything to you or did someone come up to her?"

"She said..." he stopped and looked for the right word. "She hinted to something." The doc nodded.

"What did she hint to?"

"That someone was hurting her. I didn't know she meant this." The doc nodded again. Edward was always so innocent and that would never change. He could only begin to imagine how badly something like this would rattle him.

"Did she say who?"

"No," he said.

"Not surprised. Most rape victims won't tell you information like that."

Edward looked up at him with wide eyes. "Rape?" So it was true. He still didn't want to think about it, but it was so close to him now that it couldn't be avoided.

"Yes," said the doc sadly. "We need to find out who this is as soon as possible. Chances are, as soon as the person finds out Corina's pregnant, she'll be in greater danger. He might try to hurt her." Edward looked back at Corina, a deep feeling of pain taking over. "I should have seen this coming. The cutting and the silence. She was trying to tell me this all along. I thought it was just related with the skitsophrenia." Edward looked back at him. "Edward, I need you to do me a big favor. Don't tell anyone about this. It's a personal thing for Corina, and it's for her safety. Her's and the baby's."

"Samantha may have seen something too," he said, remembering she had been the one to get the doc.

"I'll talk with her then. This secret needs to stay between the four of us."

"I won't tell," said Edward.

Edward stepped into the other room where Corina sat in a gown that tied in the back. Her eyes were lowered, and she didn't look at him. His heart broke and he sat down next to her, putting an arm over her shoulders. She looked up at him, and he held her tightly. Something wet flooded his eyes and everytime he blinked it away it came back. He closed his eyes as they fell down his face. He had never felt tears before.

"Don't go," she whispered, the same way she had so long ago. He shook his head.

"I won't," he said, his voice cracking with emmotion. He embraced her a little tighter.

"Tighter," she said softly. He held her close until she had the strength to get on her feet again.

He walked with her back to her room, not going any farther than the doorway. She sulked in, not looking at him or saying a word. The door was closed slowly behind her, and Edward leaned back against it, closing his eyes, listening to her inside.

Corina stared at herself in the mirror with absolute hatred. (They had relpaced it a few months ago). In her eyes, she had never looked uglier. Her hands slid to the edge of her shirt and she pulled it up a few inches, exposing her belly. It was flat and there was no signs of pregnancy, but she knew it wouldn't last. Soon people would know, and then they wouldn't leave her alone. She placed a hand on her stomach and sighed. There was always another available option, but she wanted time to think about it.

Anger suddenly took hold of her. This wasn't fair. It wasn't fair for her, it wasn't fair for the baby, and it especially wasn't fair for Edward. He wasn't anywhere used to things like this and she had just sucked him into it without even thinking. That was the problem with her. There was never room for anyone else in her mind. Just her. That's what she thought of herself.

Gritting her teeth, she picked up her hairbrush and threw it across the room, screaming at the top of her lungs. "No!" she shrieked loudly. Her knees gave out, and she fell on all fours, panting and sobbing. "Bitch! Whore! Slut!" She threw things around angrily until someone came up from behind her and stopped her. Her eyes closed as she spotted Edward's reflection in the mirror. "Leave me alone," she said softly. He did not move, nor did he respond. He just stood there, staring at her. "Go!" she practically screamed at him.

Edward stared blankly for a minute, then slowly walked out, closing the door behind him.

"I can't believe what happened," said Samantha as she and Edward sat down alone in the TV lounge. "Just yesterday she was active in a snowball fight and talking to you. She was so happy. Who the heck would do that to her?"

"A sick guy," said Edward. They looked over and saw Corina stagger down the hall. Her sleeves were pulled up and there were fresh cuts all over her arms that were bleeding. Edward got to his feet. "I'll kill him!" he snarled. "I'm gonna kill whoever did it!"

"Whoa!" said Samantha. "Don't make the situation any worse than it already is. Besides, we don't even know who did it."

"He had no right! NO right!" He paced around angrily. "When I find out who it is I'll kill him!"

"Who you gonna kill?" asked a voice. They both looked over and saw Joshua standing there with wide eyes. Edward stormed out, knowing there was no way he could help the situation.

"No one," said Samantha. "He's just a little upset." Joshua looked back and shook his head.

"If he still had them scissorhands I'd be freakin' out." Samantha made a face, and looked back up, watching as Edward rounded the corner.

Edward sat outside Corina's door, guarding it. Inside he could hear her crying again. She had been crying a lot lately and he hated it. He closed his eyes and burried his face in his hands, feeling his eyes fill up with tears again. Ever since he had learned, he'd been crying more than he used to also.

"What are you doing up here?" whispered a voice. He looked up and saw the doc standing there. His heart froze. It was after curfew and he was on the girls' floor. He knew he'd get in trouble now, and it was the last thing he wanted. Corina was in there, possibly cutting again, and there was nothing he could do about it. And whoever was hurting her could still be doing and there was still nothing he could do. Feeling helpless was agonizing for him, and he didn't speak to the doc. The doc looked at his tear stained eyes and signalled him to follow.

They went to his office and sat down. "Edward," he said, shaking his head. "You know we have rules about going to the girls' floor after curfew." Edward looked down, closing his eyes. The doc sighed. "But, as long as no one saw you, I think I can let you off with just a warning this time. I just want to know what you were doing up there."

His response, and the way he said it moved him a little. Edward looked at him, two tears falling down his face and said, in a very hoarse voice, "Protecting her," he muttered. "Making sure he didn't touch her again." The doc lowered his eyes and looked back up again slowly.

"Yeah," he muttered, standing up and turning his back to Edward. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He shook his head. "It's the first time I've actually thought of hurting one of the people who live here. Trouble is, I don't know who to hurt." He turned and sat on the edge of his desk. "How can I sleep tonight, knowing that... monster is still on the loose and ready to hurt her?"

"I couldn't sleep either," muttered Edward. The doc sighed and stood up again.

"Well, you need to get back to bed none the less. And if I find you up there again, I will have to punish you." He placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. "I'm installing a hidden camera in her room tomorrow. We will catch this guy." Edward nodded, running his sleeve over his eyes, and went back to bed.


	8. The Truth

Chris was in the weight room when Edward found him. He was lifting dumbells, his muscles expanding everytime he lifted. Edward had never noticed how muscular he was.

"What's up, Eddie?" he asked when he saw him.

"Nothing really," he muttered glumly. He had not slept much the previous night, and he had a lot of anger to vent. "Anyone using the punching bag?" he asked.

"Don't think so. Lance has been coming in and out, but I don't think he's using it." Edward nodded and stepped up to it.

He thought of Corina laying in the dark somewhere, screaming, and his hands clenched into fists. Not bothering to grab the gloves, he began hammering his fists into it with anger, trying to beat to death the thought of what was happening to Corina.

"Whoa, man! Slow down," said Chris. "You've got something eating you." He walked up to Edward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong? What's going on?" Edward shook his head.

"Nothing," he muttered. Chris stepped back, a small look of anger on his face and turned around. "Don't you even pull a Corina. I've had enough with people leaving me out things! Yesterday I saw Samantha crying and she wouldn't tell me why. Now you. What the hell is going on around here?"

Edward sighed and started to walk away, but Chris stopped him. "No, don't go," he said, his tone calming down. "Sorry. Shouldn't have exploded on you like that. I've just been a little tense lately." Edward nodded and watched as he went back. As he stared at him, lifting the weights, he suddenly thought of talking to Samantha not too long ago.

"...You know what's strange? Sometimes, I think he doesn't want her to talk again..."

Edward turned and looked at him, his jaw ready to drop. Chris?! Of all people! How could he do this to her? Who did he think he was! Edward, without even thinking, ran up to him and punched him in the jaw. Chris tumbled backwards and looked at him in shock.

"Edward! What the hell-"

"It was you!" shouted Edward. "You did it to her!"

"Did what? What are you talking about?" Edward punched him again.

"You've been raping her!" Chris' face drained of color and he looked at Edward with a face that made him nervous.

"Who said that?" he growled. "Who's accusing me of rape?

"Edward? What's going on?" camed a voice. He looked over to see Samantha sitting in the doorway in her wheelchair. Chris' expression lightened.

"Nothing," he said softly. "We're just talking." Edward restrained from shouting out what was happening. The last thing he wanted was for her to get involved in this. Chris was a strong man and he could easily hurt, or even kill Samantha. He said nothing, but couldn't get the look off his face, hard as he tried. His eyes lowered and he waited for Samantha to leave.

"You were never angry at me because she never spoke to you," he muttered when Samantha was gone. "You were angry because she was speaking at all!"

"That's a lie," said Chris. "I never raped no one."

"I'll kill you!" He moved to hit him, but Chris struck first, violently, then pulled out a knife and held it out in front of Edward's face.

"I never raped no one," he said, slowly but dangerously. He was angry now, and Edward was afraid now, but tried not to show it. He had never fought anyone or threatened to kill them. He had only killed once, but that was out of self-defense. "That's better," said Chris, once he was sure he was the dominate one. He placed the knife back and smirked. "Now, I suggest you get the hell out of here before I skin you raw. And if you tell anyone, even your little girlfriend in the wheelchair, I'll kill Corina and it'll be your fault. For now, I'm willing to pretend nothing's happened. But then again, it's up to you."

Edward stared at him in absolute loathing, but knew there was nothing he could do now.

(A/N: I wanted to wait and see if I'd get more reviews before updating. Guess I won't, but I'm updating anyway. Cheers!)


	9. Wash Away Those Years

Part 5

If We Survive

"My anger's violent

But still I'm silent

When tragedy strikes at home

I know this decadence

Is shared by millions

Remember you're not alone

Remember you're not alone

But if you just close your eyes

And just imagine everything's all right

But do not hide your tears

Cuz they were sent to wash away those years

Maybe we can was away those years

For we have crossed many oceans

And we labor in between

In life there are many quotients

And I hope I find the mean..."

-'Wash Away Those Years', Creed

"What happened to your face?" asked a soft voice. Edward looked up from the bathroom sink. He had been examining the large bruise on his face from Chris. He knew he was lucky that his jaw hadn't been broken. When he looked into the mirror, he saw Corina's reflection in it. He was a little surprised that she was talking after all that had happened. Did she really trust him that much?

"Oh my gosh! That looks painful. Let me see..." she said as she approached him. Knowing touching the bruise would hurt, he stepped back.

"It's not bad," he said quickly. She stared at him, looking slightly appalled.

"Are you avoiding me?"

"No," he said, suddenly realizing he had hurt her. "It just hurts."

"Well, who gave it to you?"

He looked down and did not answer. She stared at him for a while and then stepped back, the color draining from her face. "...Chris..." she muttered. He nodded slowly. "Oh my god! Does he know I'm pregnant?"

"No," muttered Edward. "But he knows I know." She placed a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.

"This is my fault," she whispered. He watched her, not knowing what to say. "It would be better if I were gone..."

"No," he said, a little sudden. "Don't talk like that. I hate it when you talk like that." Tears were flooding his eyes again. "Don't even think about it, not for a minute!"

"Edward..."

"Corina, if you died..." he stopped and looked down as two tears fell. "...I'd be alone again." She stared at him in shock, her mouth hanging open. "He hurt you, but he didn't kill you. You've survived this far. Why can't you give his name to the doc?"

"He'll kill us both if I do. You know that." She walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm. "I can stand dying, but if you died because of me... I'd never forgive myself. We can't tell."

"He's gonna know soon," said Edward. "He'll know you're pregnant and then what?"

"I don't care!" she shouted, storming out, Edward following her. "I don't care about any of it."

"I love you!" he shouted. She stopped dead in her tracks, not moving at all. Edward felt his face turn whiter (if it was possible) and realized how words were one thing you could never take back. He looked back up at her, realizing it was too late to take it back now, and shook his head.

"What did you say?" she whispered, turning to face him, her hands trembling.

"I love you," he repeated, not caring about saying it again. "Can you even care about that?"

"You don't know what love is," she whispered.

"I don't?!" he cried. "Then why have I never given up on you? I got caught guarding your bedroom last night so he wouldn't come after you. I've cried for the first time because of you. I'm willing to loose everything to see you smiling again like they keep telling me you did. Don't you dare tell me what I don't know."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"I know enough to know that this is not you! You were different once. You weren't always this closed in. I know who stole that away from you and he will pay, or I'll die trying. I don't care."

"Look at your face, Edward," she shouted. "Look what he did to you! He's not afraid to hit you, and he's not afraid to hurt me. He's stronger than you think and he will kill you if he gets the chance. You think I could live without you?"

"I don't want to just stand here and watch him hurt you. I'd rather die stopping it than let you slowly bleed to death." With that he ran off, running his sleeve over his eyes as he passed her.

Edward lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. He had spilled it out in front of her, unable to take it back. What was worse was he wasn't aware of his own feelings until they had come out in the open.

"Edward?" came a soft voice. He looked up to his window and saw a thin form in front of it. It took a minute, but he soon recognized Corina's face and opened the window. She slipped in silently, shivering with cold, and before he could ask, she was in his arms sobbing.

"I can't do it," she whispered. "Not tonight. I don't care how angry he gets. Don't let him hurt me!"

"He's coming?" he asked, feeling afraid.

"I don't know," she said, brushing tears away. "I never know when or what day. I just don't want it to be tonight. Can I stay in here?" He nodded, not really caring if he got caught. He climed back into the warmth of his bed and she crawled in after him. She rested her head on his chest and he placed his arms around her, holding her closely until they both fell asleep, luck not allowing either of them to be touched.

It wasn't till three in the morning that she woke and climbed out of bed, trying not to wake him. Her attempt failed and he slowly opened his eyes, watching as she started for the window.

"Don't go," he whispered. She looked at him, shocked that she had woken him and stood still, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He looked at her and she crawled back on the bed, and on top of him, relaxing in his embrace. The moonlight was shining on her, and even though her hair was messy from tossing and turning, and she still looked drowsy, in his eyes, she was beautiful. Under the blood red eyes, the white skin, and the demon-like tail, he saw an angel, trapped in her own body.

She looked up into his face, trembling as though she were debating on something, and slowly, with extreme caution, she lowered her lips to his and kissed him, nervously. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back, feeling her tears falling on his face. Slowly the kiss grew as she gradually trusted him until she was almost melting in his arms.

Eventually she pulled back for air and looked at him with sad eyes. "I love you," she whispered. A tear felt down her face and she held his hand in hers, carresing it and resting her face in the palm, closing her eyes. She sniffled and looked at him again. "But," she whispered. He sighed, he knew it was coming sooner or later. "But, you deserve so much better."

She climbed off the bed and slipped out the window without a word. Edward watched until the hot tears came.

Corina was sitting on her bed, thinking about what had happened not but a few minutes ago. He loved her and she knew there was nothing she could do to stop him. Nothing she could do would prove to him she was not the beautiful girl he pictured her to be. There was true ugliness in her that he was not seeing. She glanced down at her pale hands and gasped in shock. Her nails were black, like they were dead, and growing into claws. The ugliness inside was starting to reflect on the outside and everyone knew what she was.

"Wondered when you'd come back from that freak," came a voice. She shivered and looked into the shadows as he came to her. "Don't worry. He's promised to keep our little secret, love." Corina closed her eyes and started crying, knowing what was coming.

"Please, Chris. Not now. I don't want it."

"Don't lie. I know you want it." He grabbed her shoulders and she went limp, having learned over time that fighting did nothing. "You look so beautiful..."

Edward had heard the footsteps down the hall, shortly after Corina had left. And got to his feet, knowing who it was. This had to end now, but he didn't know what to do. What had he done the last time someone he loved was in trouble? His eyes strayed to the pair of scissorhands, almost forgotten about and looked back at the door. There was no way he could reach the doc in time to stop Chris. It was the only way.

Springing into action, he grabbed one of the hands and ran out the door to Corina's room. He paused, waiting for a sound to make sure it was really Chris he had heard. It wasn't till he heard the deep voice that he knew it was.

"You look so beautiful..."

He gritted his teeth and threw the door open, Chris so shocked he dropped Corina to the ground. She crawled to a far corner and curled up into a ball, burrying her face in her knees.

"Leave her alone," hissed Edward. Chris looked at him with a hint of caution as the blades from the scissorhand were pointed to his face.

"...Edward?"

"You will not touch her again!" Chris clenched his hands into a fist.

"I'm warning you, freak. Get out now and just walk away."

"No," he snarled. "Corina, get the doc," he said glancing at her.

"Edward... I..." she stuttered.

"Go!" he shouted. Corina got to her feet and ran down the stairs. Edward stared Chris down, not moving the hand at all.

"Edward, man, you've got me all wrong..."

"Don't talk," he said in a warning tone.

"You don't understand me. I never did what you think I did. She wanted it. She even told me she did."

"Stop lying!"

"I did nothing wrong. Why would I lie to you? We're friends, remember?"

"Friends don't do things like this."

"Things like what? She was hot and I liked her. What's the crime in that? I only did what she let me do." Edward stared at him for a moment, then slowly lowered his blade.

"You're right," he muttered. "I don't understand you." He sighed and dropped the hand. "But I can't kill. Not again."

"I can," said a voice from behind. Edward turned and saw the doc standing there with a gun pointed to Chris. "You sick son of a bitch," he growled. "She trusted you and you hurt her. You took advantage of the fact that she wasn't talking. You're sick!" Chris went pale, too afraid to move now. "Get on the ground!" shouted the doc. Chris obeyed. "Now just stay there until the cops come."

"Police?" muttered Edward. Chris started laughing.

"You'd better point that gun at him too. He's a murderer. He just told me he was. The cops are probly still looking for him."

"You shut up right now or I will blow your head off," warned the doc. He looked at Edward. "You better hide yourself. Go!"

Edward obeyed and ran out of the room.

Chris was arrested and declared guilty of rape, recieving fifty years in prison.

Corina never forgot about what he'd done to her, and Edward never forgot either.

(One month later...)

Edward found Corina, standing in the grass, staring at the large rose he had made for her, so long ago. Her stomach had begun to swell with child, but not enough for it to be obvious that she was pregnant. Everyone knew anyway. One of her hands caressed her belly softly, and she turned when she heard him coming towards her.

"My mom used to paint pictures of roses when she was alive," she muttered. "The social workers gave me one to hold on to so a part of her would always be with me."

"Is that why you like them so much?" asked Edward. Corina nodded and smiled sadly.

"Sometimes, I can feel her near me, like she's still watching over me."

"She's not the only one," whispered Edward. She smirked and hugged him.

"Thanks," she muttered. When he looked at her again, he noticed something.

"Your eyes," he said softly. "They're blue." She nodded.

"The color's coming back. I think I'm going back to normal." She waved her tail around a little and smiled, sadly. "I'm going to miss the tail though." Edward snickered and embraced her again.

"I love you," he whispered. "I always will." Then she finally said the one line he had been waiting to hear from her.

"I love you too, Edward." He placed a hand on her face, stroking her cheek momentarily with his thumb, then leaned down and kissed her tenderly. She held him close as she kissed back, never wanting to let go.

They did stop, eventually, but Edward knew she was his now, and he'd never be able to let her go. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

THE END!


End file.
